24 September 2010
Youreable, the long running discussion forum for disabled people, is to begin a phased reopening by October after being closed for over nine months. The benefits forum will be the first to reappear.
Youreable’s forums were handed over to the Disabled Living Foundation (DLF) last year by private sector disability equipment suppliers Patterson Medical, following Patterson’s buyout of Youreable’s own disability aids shop.
However, shortly afterwards, the forums were closed following complaints - which are rumoured to have involved the police and the Charity Commission - about the behaviour of moderators and about data protection.
Initially, DLF said it would reopen the forums in January, but months passed with no sign of activity.
DLF now claims that an external enquiry was conducted into the complaints. The enquiry found DLF blameless and the forums are now to reopen with DLF staff carrying out ‘reactive moderation’. This means that all posts are published and unsuitable posts checked and removed if there is a complaint about them.
Benefits and Work wishes the reborn forums well – we know that many of our members have missed Youreable a great deal.
